Key media freedoms in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Key media freedoms was 2.45 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.45
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
16th
of 175 countries
All-time high
2.45
in 2023
All-time low
-0.086
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Vanuatu, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key media freedoms in Vanuatu is 2.45, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.
That represents a change of up 18.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Vanuatu peaked at 2.45 in 2023 and was at its lowest, -0.086, in 1900.
Vanuatu ranks 16th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -0.086 | — |
| 1901 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -0.086 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 2.08 | -2515.1% |
| 1981 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.08 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2.17 | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 2.17 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.99 | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 1.01 | -49.1% |
| 2021 | 1.47 | +44.5% |
| 2022 | 1.47 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.45 | +67.1% |
| 2024 | 2.45 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 2.45 | +0.0% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 2.45 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.292, 8.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 2.45 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3835, 6.4× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.086 | -0.086 | -0.086 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.086 | -0.086 | -0.086 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.086 | -0.086 | -0.086 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.086 | -0.086 | -0.086 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.086 | -0.086 | -0.086 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.086 | -0.086 | -0.086 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.086 | -0.086 | -0.086 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.086 | -0.086 | -0.086 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.08 | 2.08 | 2.08 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.08 | 2.08 | 2.08 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.08 | 2.08 | 2.08 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.09 | 1.99 | 2.17 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.88 | 1.01 | 2.45 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
More social development data for Vanuatu
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Vanuatu?
- Key media freedoms in Vanuatu was 2.45 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 2.45 in 2023.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.086 in 1900.
- How does Vanuatu rank for key media freedoms?
- Vanuatu ranks 16th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vanuatu data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key media freedoms. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.